Kenya Tribes

If you trace the history of Kenya, it is evident that the main ethnic groups of Kenya are the Bantu who migrated from western Africa, the Nilotic people who originated from Sudan and the Hamitic group, who were mainly pastoral tribes from Ethiopia and Somalia. The other large ethnic groups include the Luo, Luhya, Kamba and Kalenjin.There are also some groups of people who form a very small population.

Some interesting facts about the main Kenya tribes are:

Kikuyu Tribe

• The Kikuyu tribe, which originally belongs to the Bantu group is said to have been founded by a man called Gikuyu.

• Kikuyu history says that the Kikuyu God, Ngai, took Gikuyu to the top of Kirinyaga and told him to stay and build his home there. He was also given his wife, Mumbi. Together, Mumbi and Gikuyu had nine daughters. There was actually a tenth daughter but the Kikuyu considered it to be bad luck to say the number ten. When counting they used to say "full nine" instead of ten.

• It was from the nine daughters that the nine (occasionally a tenth) Kikuyu clans -Achera, Agachiku, Airimu, Ambui, Angare, Anjiru, Angui, Aithaga, and Aitherandu- were formed.

• Kikuyu tribes are traditionally farmers and their homelands are good farmlands in Kenya.

• The Maasai tribe is found mainly in Southern Kenya

• The Massai myths say that their rain God Ngai granted all cattle to them for safe keeping when the earth and sky split. Since cattle were given to the Massai, they also believe that it is their right to steal from other tribes.

• The Massai prefer to remain nomadic herdsmen although it is becoming more difficult in modern times as their open plains are slowly disappearing.

* The Samburu Tribe lives at the foothills of Mount Kenya

* They are semi-nomadic pastoralists whose mainstay is rearing livestock.

* Milk is their staple diet, sometimes it is mixed with blood. Meat is only eaten on special occasions. Generally they make soups from roots and bark and eat vegetables wherever it can be grown.

* Most of the Samburu tribe dress in very traditional clothing of bright red material used like a skirt and multi-beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Turkana Tribe

*The Turkana Tribe are the second largest group of nomadic pastoralists in Kenya and they live in northern Kenya

*The Turkana tribe wears traditional dress and ornaments, which are bright and charming.

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